Adjustable dish holders



June 18, 1963 J. J, PUNKE 3,094,258

ADJUSTABLE DISH HOLDERS 2 sheets-shes 1 Filed Dec. 8, 1961 II 'mm" L Fl6. 2 H

INVENTOR.

JOHN J. PUNKE I khfm June 18, 1963 J. J. PUNKE 3,094,258

ADJUSTABLE DISH HOLDERS Filed Dec. 8. 1961 2 Sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.JOHN J. PUNKE United States Patent Ice 3,094,258 ADJUSTABLE DISH HOLDERSJohn J. Punke, 2635 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, N.Y. Filed Dec. 8, 1961,Ser- No. 158,174 7 Claims. (Cl. 22445) adjust-able dish holder which issimple and effective in operation, attractive in appearance, andeconomical to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a dish holder of the character describedwhich consists of two identical members each of which is adapted to bemade by a process such as die casting.

A further object is to provide an adjustable dish holder consisting oftwo identical integral members, in which the adjustment and the lockingin the desired adjusted position is obtained by a fixed pawl on onemember cooperating with a fixed rack on the other member, withoutrecourse to any hinged or similarly movable parts, bolts, screws,springs or the like.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a casserole mounted in a holderaccording to this invention;

FIGURE 2 a perspective view of the casserole holder of FIGURE 1 shown ina more extended position;

FIGURE 3 is a detail perspective, on an enlarged scale, showing theinner end of either of the two halves of the holder of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of dish holderaccording to this invention;

FIGURE 6 is a detail perspective, on an enlarged scale, of the inner endof either of the two halves of the holder of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in FIG- URES 1 to 4, theholder 10 comprises two identical members 11 adapted to be adjustablyinterlocked together for supporting a dish such as the casserole C ofFIGURE 1. The members 11 are preferably made as one integral piece ofmetal, for example, by die casting. Each member 11 compm'ses a handle12, which may be decorated as shown, and side arms "13 having inclineddepending portions 14 terminating in feet 15. Substanti-ally rectangularbase portions 16 and 17, preferably hollowed out for lightness as shownin FIGURE 4, extend inwardly of the feet 15. A loop extension 18 of thebase portion 16 supports the outer end of a rack bar 19. The inner endof the rack bar 19 is connected to a bridging member 20, similarlyhollowed out on its under side, from a tie bar 21 extends to the baseportion 17, thus supporting the inner end of the rack bar.

The rack bar 19 is provided with rounded teeth 22. The inner side of thebridging member 20 constitutes an extension of the rack bar and carriesa sidewise projecting pawl 23 provided at its free end with a dependingtongue 24. A slot 25 is thus formed between the rack bar 19 and thetongue 24, which slot serves to accommodate and guide the rack bar ofthe mating member 11. The under side of the pawl 23 is rounded as shownat 26 to fit between and cooperate with the teeth 22 of the mating rackbar 19.

In using the dish holder of FIGURES 1 to 4, before inserting the dish,the two halves 11 are adjusted manu- Patented June 18, 1963 the pawls 23will drop into the notches between the nearest teeth 22. A dish such asthe casserole C of FIGURE 1 is then lowered into the holder. The sidewall of the dish will engage the slanting inner edges of the dependingportions 14 of the side arms -13, and will rock or tilt the members 11about the feet 15, thus again releasing the pawls 23 from the teeth 22.The two members 11 will thus be forced apart just sufiiciently toaccommodate the dish C and, as the dish approaches its lowermostposition in which it is seated on the 'base portions 16 and 17, thepawls 23 will again drop between the appropriate teeth 22.

It will be observed that the dish itself serves to adjust the holder 10in the expanding direction to the proper size and also, by its weight,locks the two members 11 together in that adjusted position. As will beseen in FIGURE 2, when the two halves 11 are thus locked together, theupper surfaces of the base portions 16 and 17 and the parts lyingbetween them are all in the same plane, thus providing a smooth surfaceon which a flatbottomed dish may rest. With the dish ensconced in theholder as shown in FIGURE 1, the holder may be picked up by its handles12 and will securely support the dish for carrying from one place toanother. When the holder with its dish is placed on a dining table, thefeet 15 hold the main parts of the assembly away from the table surface,so that there is no danger of a hot dish imalrring the surface of thetable.

It will be observed that the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 1 to4 provides for automatic adjustment to size only in the outward orexpanding direction of the holder, and that the initial adjustment to asmaller size should be performed manually before the dish is inserted inthe holder. In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 to 7, on theother hand, the initial adjustment of the holder, before the dish isinserted, may be to .a size either larger or smaller than the dish.

The modified holder 10 shown in FIGURES 5 to 7 is similar to the holder10 of FIGURES 1 to 4 except as to the construction of the teeth of therack bar and the pawl for mating with the teeth of the rack bar of theother half of the holder. Corresponding parts of the two modificationsare given the same reference characters, but primes are attached to suchreference characters in FIG- URES 5 to 7, and distinct referencecharacters are applied to those parts that are altered substantially. Asshown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the teeth 30 are shaped somewhat like sawteeth inclined outwardly, so that the pawl 31 may ratchet over them inthe contracting direction. The pawl 31 projects from the inner end ofthe bridging member 20 and terminates in a depending tongue 32, leavinga slot 33 between the tongue and the bridge member. As best shown inFIGURE 7, the pawl 31 has a rounded nose 34, an inclined surface 35matching the inclined surfaces of the teeth of the mating rack, and anearly vertical surface 36 matching the opposed tooth surfaces.

Let us suppose that the holder is in the adjusted position shown inFIGURES, and that this adjustment is too large for the dish with whichit is to be used. The dish may merely be placed in the holder, and thecontracting adjustment may be made simply by the user pushing thehandles 12 toward one another with a slightly downward pressure. Therounded noses 34 and inclined surfaces 35 permit the pawls 31 to ride upthe inclined surfaces of the mating teeth 30, and ratchet over the teethuntil the inner edges of the depending portions 14' engage the outsideof the dish. At this point, the pawls 31 will be seated in theappropriate notches between the teeth 30. Let us now suppose that thedish is too large for the adjusted position of FIGURE 5. In this case,the outside of the dish will engage the slanting inner edges of thedepending portions 14, tilt the members 11 slightly about their feet 15'and force the members apart until the proper expanding adjustment isobtained, precisely as described in connection With the firstmodification. In either case, once the pawls 31 are seated between theteeth 30 of their mating racks 19', and are held there by the weight ofthe dish, the members 11 are prevented from moving in either directiondue to the locking action between the pawlsand the teeth.

As best shown in FIGURE 5, the tops of the pawls 31 project above theplane established by the upper surfaces of the base portions 16 and 17'.This is done merely for the purpose of giving the pawls 31 a largercross-section affording adequate strength. This upward projection of thepawls '31 is unobjectionable because the large casseroles and platterswith which the holder 10' is intended to be used, are invariablyprovided with a recessed bottom defined by a rim around the outer bottomedge of the dish. The pawls 31 operate Within such a recessed bottom,and consequently do not interfere with proper seating of the dish in theholder. Should it be desired to use the general construction of theholder 10' for fiat bottom dishes such as small casseroles, it wouldmerely be necessary to raise the plane of the upper surfaces of the baseportions 16' and 17 so that it lies at or above the top of the pawl 31.

While there is herein described, and in the drawings shown, illustrativeembodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited thereto, but may comprehend other constructions,arrangement of parts, details and features without departing from thespirit of the invention. I desire to be limited, therefore, only by thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable dish holder consisting of two members of likeconstruction, each member comprising a handle, a pair of side armsextending inwardly of the handle and each including a depending portion,base portions adjacent the lower end of each side arm, a centrallongitudinally disposed rack bar supported from said base portions,teeth on said rack bar, and :a pawl adjacent the inner end of andprojecting sideways from said rack bar,

4 the pawl of one rack bar being adapted to fit between the teeth of theother rack bar, whereby said two members may be interlocked at variouspositions of longitudinal adjustment.

2. An adjustable dish holder consisting of two members of likeconstruction, each member comprising a handle, a pair of side armsextending inwardly of the handle and each including a depending portionterminating in a foot, base portions adjacent the lower end of each sidearm, a central longitudinally disposed rack bar supported from said baseportions, teeth on said rack bar, and a pawl adjacent the inner end ofand projecting sideways from said rack bar, the pawl of one rack barbeing adapted to fit between the teeth of the other rack bar, wherebysaid two members may be inter-locked at various positions oflongitudinal adjustment, and whereby such adjustment may be accomplishedby rocking the two members about their respective feet while pushingthem toward or away from one another.

3. An adjustable dish holder as claimed in claim 2 wherein said side armdepending portions have inwardly inclined inner edges adapted to engagethe side wall of a dish, whereby said members may be automaticallyadjusted in the expanding direction by lowering a dish into the holder.

4. An adjustable dish holder as claimed in claim 3 comprising a tonguedepending from the free end of said pawl and defining a slot foraccommodating and guiding the rack bar of the other member.

5. An adjustable dish holder as claimed in claim 2, in which said rackbar teeth are rounded and provide rounded recesses therebetween.

6. An adjustable dish holder as claimed in claim 2, in which said rackbar teeth have inclined surfaces slanting outward, whereby the pawl ofthe other member is capable of ratcheting over the teeth in thecontracting direction of adjustment of the two members.

7. An adjustable dish holder as claimed in claim 1, comprising a tonguedepending from the free end of said pawl and defining a slot foraccommodating and guiding the rack bar of the other member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,947,458 Troendly Aug. 2, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 126,703 Switzerland Nov.15, 1949

1. AN ADJUSTABLE DISH HOLDER CONSISTING OF TWO MEMBERS OF LIKECONSTRUCTION, EACH MEMBER COMPRISING A HANDLE, A PAIR OF SIDE ARMSEXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE HANDLE AND EACH INCLUDING A DEPENDING PORTION,BASE PORTIONS ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF EACH SIDE ARM, A CENTRALLONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED RACK BAR SUPPORTED FROM SAID BASE PORTIONS,TEETH ON SAID RACK BAR, AND A PAWL ADJACENT THE INNER END OF ANDPROJECTING SIDEWAYS FROM SAID RACK BAR, THE PAWL OF ONE RACK BAR BEINGADAPTED TO FIT BETWEEN THE TEETH OF THE OTHER RACK BAR, WHEREBY SAID TWOMEMBERS MAY BE INTERLOCKED AT VARIOUS POSITIONS OF LONGITUDINALADJUSTMENT.